Bracket for a slatted bed frame

ABSTRACT

A bracket for fastening a bed slat to a frame for a slatted bed frame. The bracket secures a bed slat to a frame rail and also reliably holds the bed slat against upward forces that may act on the ends of the bed slat as a result of a spring deflection of the slat. The bracket has protruding elements that fit into recesses provided on the frame rails, so that it is quickly and easily assembled on the frame and also has protruding elements that are constructed, such, that the end of the bed slat may be snapped onto the bracket.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a bracket for a slatted bed frame.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

Brackets for fastening slats to a frame to make a slatted bed frame areknown. The simplest construction of such a bed frame has just twoparallel side rails or boards (referred to hereinafter simple as “framerails”) that are connected to each other by means of the bed slats thatextend transverse to the frame rails. Two additional end frame boardsmay also be used at the head and foot ends to form a frame that is aclosed rectangle. The bed slats may deflect under load, and as a resultthe two ends of the bed slat may move relative to the frame rails. Thebrackets serve as intermediate elements between the frame and the slats.That is, they accommodate such relative movement and, at the same time,hold the bed slats to the frame.

The frame rails on conventional slatted bed frames have pins or dowels,and the conventional brackets are pushed onto them. Each bracket forms aretainer cap. The bed slat is inserted into the cap, which serves tohold the slat in place. A plurality of brackets are necessary for eachslatted bed frame and, because a large number of brackets are needed foreach bed frame, the price of a single bracket has a significant effecton the productions costs of the slatted bed frame.

What is needed, therefore, is a bracket that is less costly tomanufacture and, consequently, a slatted bed frame that is lessexpensive.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The bracket according to the invention has a plug element that isconstructed to provide a tight fit into a recess that is provided in theframe rail of the bed frame. In other words, the recess and the plugtogether provide a tight connection of the bracket to the frame.

Constructing the bracket according to the invention provides severaladvantages, most notably, it substantially reduces the amount ofmaterial needed to make the bracket. This is because the conventionalbracket has a sleeve that fits over a pin that extends upward from thebed frame. The bracket according to the invention does not have to havethis sleeve, but rather, just a pin that extends into the recess on theframe rail. It requires less material to form the plug than it does tomake a sleeve that surrounds such a pin. Also, the construction of thebracket according to the invention makes it possible to keep the heightof the construction particularly low.

Material may also be reduced in the construction of the bed frame,because it is not necessary to provide pins that extend beyond the framerails. Rather, the recess in which the bracket plug is insertable may beprovided directly on the frame rail.

Finally, the bracket according to the invention allows an assembly stepin making a slatted bed frame to be eliminated. With the conventionalslatted bed frame, assembly pins are provide on the frame rail and theconventional brackets with the sleeves are pushed down on to the pins.These pins are separate components and have to be affixed to the framerail, before the brackets for the bed slats can be assembled. Theseassembly pins are unnecessary with the bracket according to theinvention.

Overall, the bracket according to the invention provides up to threeseparate savings effects, so that the bracket according to the inventionprovides an economic benefit not only in the production of the bracket,but in the overall cost of the slatted bed frame.

Advantageously, the bracket may have a horizontally oriented base plate.The use of directional terms, such as horizontal, vertical, top, bottom,etc., is based on the orientation of the bracket and the overall slattedbed frame, when the bed frame is in the typical position for itsintended use, i.e., is in a generally horizontal position, so that, forexample, a mattress may be placed on the slats of the bed frame.Accordingly, the base plate of the bracket lies in a horizontal plane.The plug of the bracket is longitudinal in form, such as, for example, acylindrical dowel, and extends along its longitudinal axis parallel tothe base plate. The frame rail has bores along the lateral face, suchthat the bracket may be assembled on the side rail of the frame bypushing the plug in an approximately horizontal direction in the bore onthe side rail.

It may be advantageous that the entire cross-sectional width of the plugdoes not abut directly against the base plate, but that a narrowerconnector bridge or shank is provided on the plug, so that thisconnector shank creates an undercut between the base plate and the plug.In this way, when the plug is secured in the bore on the side rail, thebracket is secured against upward forces that would lift it away fromthe side rail.

As an alternative to the construction of the bracket with its plugoriented parallel to the base plate, it may be advantageous that thebracket have the horizontally oriented base plate and a longitudinallyshaped plug, but that the plug extend in its longitudinal directiontransverse to the direction of the base plate. In this way, bores may beprovided in the side rail that run vertically, for example, so that thebracket with its plugs may be placed from above into the correspondingbores in the side rail. The bracket may then be assembled on the siderails in a particularly simple and quick manner, which is advantageous,both with manual assembly or fully automated robotic assembly.

The plugs may be provided with protrusions, such as, for example, aknobby surface or ribs, to achieve the above mentioned tight fit betweenthe plug and the bore in the side rail. The ribs may run in thelongitudinal direction of the plug. Alternatively, they may extendtransvers to the direction of the longitudinal axis of the plug, such asis, for example, done with so-called harpoon shanks, which provide atight connection, but in addition to that, provide improved protectionagainst forces acting on the plug in a direction that would tend toforce the plug out of the bore.

Advantageously, two longitudinal plugs may be provided on the bracket,the longitudinal axes of the plugs extending parallel one another. Dueto the parallel longitudinal axes, the two plugs on the bracket may beinserted into corresponding two bores on the frame rail easily and atthe same time. The arrangement of the two plugs spaced a distance apartensures that the bracket cannot be twisted and, thus, ensures a reliableattachment slat on the bracket.

Advantageously, the bed slat is attached to the bracket on an assemblypin that extends upward from the bracket, instead of inserting the endof the slat into a cap that holds the slat in place. The bed slat has arecess, advantageously a longitudinal slot, so that a relative movementbetween the bed slat and the bracket in the longitudinal direction ofthe slat may occur without causing a problem, with the bed slat beingthereby securely guided along the bracket and held by the bracket. Thecorresponding assembly pin on the bracket has a somewhat mushroom-shapedcross-section, so that the bed slat can be snapped or buttoned onto theassembly pin and, thus, be securely held against upward forces acting onthe bed slat.

Advantageously, two assembly pins, spaced a distance apart from eachother, may be provided on the bracket, to achieve a particularlyreliable hold for the bed slat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present invention is described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings that are purely schematic drawings.

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a first embodiment of the bracketaccording to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of a second embodiment of thebracket according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the bracket of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate two embodiments of a bracket 1 according to theinvention that is used to fasten a bed slat to a frame rail of a slattedbed frame. The frame of the slatted bed frame is not shown, but it isunderstood that the frame comprises at least two frame rails that extendalong the long sides of the frame. The frame for the slatted bed framemay or may not include cross rails at the head and foot ends of theframe. The slatted bed frame, in its intended use, is typically insertedbetween the head and foot ends of a bed and is in a horizontal position,with a mattress placed on top of the slatted bed frame.

Both embodiments of the bracket 1 have a base plate 2 that is orientedin a horizontal position when the slatted bed frame is in position forits intended use. The base plate 2 has an upper surface and a lowersurface. Two plugs 3 extend from the lower surface below the base plate2. The frame rail is provided with a series of recesses. The plugs 3 areessentially cylindrical dowels that are dimensioned to fit within therecesses. Longitudinal ribs 4 may be provided on the plugs 3 to providea tight interference fit when the plugs 3 are inserted intocorresponding recesses, thereby securing the bracket 1 to the framerail.

In the first embodiment of the bracket 1 shown in FIG. 1, the plugs 3extend downward, i.e., orthogonally to the lower surface of the baseplate 2. In the second embodiment, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the plugs 3extend parallel to the lower surface of the base plate 2. Thecross-section of the plugs 3 in this second embodiment is not completelyround, but rather, has a flattened, Omega-like cross-section that isconnected to the underside of the base plate 2 by a connector web orbridge 5 that is slightly narrower than the body of the plug 3. Theconnector bridge 5 between the base plate 2 and the plug 3 has anundercut, so that this bracket 1 is particularly reliably fastened tothe rails of a slatted bed frame and is able to resist upward forcesthat may be exerted on the bracket 1.

Two slat assembly pins 6 are provided on the upper surface of the baseplate 2 on each embodiment of the bracket 1. These slat assembly pins 6extend upward from a pin base 7 and have a T-shape cross-section formedby a narrow shank 8 and a wide head 9. The bed slat that is constructedto fit on this bracket 1 has two parallel slots that are slightly widerthan the shank 8 and narrower than the head 9, allowing the bed slat tobe snapped or buttoned onto the two slat assembly pins 6 of the bracket1. The bed slat is thus captured against the pin base 7, but in such away that the ends of the bed slat are not forced to lie directly againstthe base plate 2. The reason for this is, that, when a spring action onthe bed slat causes relative movement between the bed slat and thebracket 1, i.e, causes the end of the bed slat to shift in its position,the base plate 2 is protected against wear that would result from thebed slat rubbing up against the base plate.

1-8. (canceled)
 9. A bracket for a slatted bed frame constructed offrame rails extending parallel to and spaced apart from each other andbed slats that extend from one frame rail to the other in a directiontransverse to a direction of the frames rails, the bracket fastening oneend of a bed slat to one of the frame rails and comprising: a base platehaving a first surface and a second surface; a rail connector that isprovided on the first surface; and a slat connector that is provided onthe second surface; wherein the frame rail has a series of recesses andthe rail connector is a plug that projects from the base plate and has aplug cross-section that is dimensioned to fit within one of therecesses.
 10. The bracket of claim 9, wherein the plug has an oblongshape with a longitudinal axis and wherein the plug is provided on thebase plate so as to extend parallel to the first surface.
 11. Thebracket of claim 2, the plug having a connector shank that has anarrower cross-section than the plug cross-section; wherein the narrowercross-section creates an undercut between the base plate and the plug.12. The bracket according to claim 1, wherein the plug has an oblongshape with a longitudinal axis and wherein the plug is provided on thebase plate such that the longitudinal axis of the plug extends in adirection orthogonal to the first surface of the base plate.
 13. Thebracket according to claim 1, wherein the plug includes two oblongplugs, the longitudinal axes thereof extending parallel to one another.14. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the slat connector is a slatassembly pin that extends upward from the second surface of the baseplate.
 15. The bracket of claim 13, wherein the slat connector includestwo slat assembly pins spaced a distance apart from each other.